A key to fighting the scourge of corruption was not throwing more money at the problem, but more effectively managing resources, suspended head of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Vusi Pikoli said on Thursday.

Addressing an Institute of Security Studies (ISS) conference on corruption in service delivery, Pikoli said that while there was "wonderful" legislation in place, its implementation needed to be improved.

"Given the dire problem of corruption in our country you need to go beyond rhetoric."

He said that more efficient co-ordination, partnership and interaction with international law enforcement agencies would also aid in the fight.

"Also, we need to uproot corruption in our own ranks within the criminal justice system.

"We need to act fiercely and fearlessly in viewing this to make sure that nobody can escape this, it doesn't matter who the person is."

Pikoli again came out in support of an independent judiciary.

He said there had been some "serious developments of concerns" which could be seen as intimidating the judiciary, the prosecutors, and other court staff members.

"So we have got to be careful how we conduct ourselves, especially if we support certain individuals who might be having problems with the law, so that our conduct and actions are not seen as threatening that independence of the judiciary," Pikoli said.

He said independence of prosecutors was vital.

"Perhaps I've said it so much and so loudly that it has led to my own suspension."

Pikoli said he could not shed anymore light on the report from the Ginwala inquiry, which was established to assess his fitness to hold office.

He said he had seen the report and had responded to it in a report to President Kgalema Motlanthe on Friday.

Referring to the National Prosecuting Authority's directorate of special operations' (Scorpions) raid of seven locations in Gauteng and the Western Cape as part of ongoing investigations into the arms deal, Pikoli said this was the last sting in its tail.

"Well so what? The Scorpions are dead, but I suppose its the last sting in their tail," he said.

Last week the National Council of Provinces approved two bills -- the NPA Amendment Bill and South African Police Service Amendment Bill -- which would effectively see the DSO being absorbed into SAPS.

"As a country we will forever have this battle of the arms deal unless it is tackled in a much more serious way," he said.

With acknowledgements to Sapa.